The Cost of Free Software

Have you ever downloaded free software and thought, it does the job well enough so you don’t need to pay the ‘upgrade fee?’ Or, have you ever recommended free software in the course you are teaching so learners didn’t have to pay for it? Let’s face it, we’ve all downloaded different software, and better yet, when it’s free - right? Free software is great, especially when you want to try out something new and see whether it is fit for your purpose but, given the limitations in most free versions, is it worth keeping the free version or are you better off to pay the upgrade fee? Although you may not be paying for it with money, there are three ways you are paying for it outlined below.

Time

Often, free versions of any software (unless it is a trial) is limited in functionality so you may have to figure out ‘workarounds’ to make the free software work for you. For example, I had been using the free version of Canva for some time, and manually adding different colours and fonts which was taking me time. I upgraded my license so I could have ‘pre-set branding styles’ at a click of a button which has saved me a lot of time. Since upgrading, I have seen many more benefits; from presentation options, additional images, and a scheduling tool. This has enabled me to be much more efficient and spend less time on workarounds. Before you dismiss paying for software, figure out the time you are taking to get your desired outcome - your time is valuable so ask yourself; if the paid features are useful for you and going to save you time, should you actually upgrade?

Your data

For any free software you have to give your data; from name, email and in some instances more personal details. That is kind of the norm now, and, we don’t think twice about providing these details. But, have you thought about the data you are sharing? Form what you do with the software, what your interactions look like, and what you are creating in a free version, is this yours or is it the property of the software company?

Control

It’s no secret, that more often than not, free software comes with many different advertisements, and different notifications. As a user, you have no control as to whether you view those ads, or whether you receive those notifications; that is the cost of using free software. In a study from the University of California Irvine (2016), it was found that once you receive a notification, it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back on task. That can’t be true I hear you saying, but think about it - you see an ad and you click on it; you shift your thinking to that ad and then you might go back to your task, but consider the time it takes you to remember where you were, what you were thinking and what task you were completing. This research shows it takes nearly 25 minutes. So, if you don’t have control over the software, the ads you are viewing and the notifications you are receiving, what is the true cost of the free software?

Summary

We all love free software, and even better when it is fit for purpose. But, before you keep using or recommending that free software, just because you aren’t paying it with money, I want you to consider its true cost. Consider your cost in relation to time, data and control; both your own and learners; and if you are cobstantly figuring out workarounds - is it worth it?